Demon Kissed - Katie May Page 0,28

me at will without dozens of witnesses.

And they lay it on as thick as peanut butter as soon as we get outside. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth as they shove guilt trips and shame down my throat.

Mom clicks open her Beemer as she snarls, “I have never been so humiliated.”

Dad shakes his head as he tosses his briefcase in his own trunk (they always drive separately in case they have to deal with work emergencies). “I forbid you from seeing that boy again. He’s clearly a bad influence.”

Mom looks at Dad, her gaze pinched. She fiddles with one of her conservative, looks-like-jizz-stuck-on-her-ear pearl earrings. “Should I get her drug tested? She has to be high.”

Dad shakes his head. “Don’t want the evidence from that to creep up sometime.”

“I know but…treatment?” she asks. They talk across the roof of the car, staring at one another as if I’m not fucking here.

“I’m not on anything!” I scream.

Mom jumps.

Dad just does the disappointed head shake thing at me again.

“Ever think, that maybe…instead of drugs, I just lack parental guidance? Hmm? Could that be it? Could this be your fucking fault?” I cross my arms and stare between them.

“Don’t be facetious, Katrina.” Mom rolls her eyes at me and turns back to Dad. “I’ll drop her at home since you have that deposition.”

“Give her a chore list. She can weed the damn garden and mow the lawn. I’ll call Green Space and cancel,” Dad growls before his dark eyes land on me. “You want us involved? Guess what? You’ll get nothing but that from now on. I’m going to take over your schedule. Sound fun?”

I’ve always wanted to be on my parents’ radar before. But not like this. As I climb into the back of Mom’s car, phrases like “grounded” and “take-away-your phone” swirl through the air.

At one point during the drive home, my mom even explodes, “This whole thing could ruin your chances at college!”

From the way she’s ranting, I’m going to be locked in my room for the next few months. And from what Dad said, it sounds like I’ll be spending my time scrubbing toilets and trimming bushes. All because of one afternoon of immature fun. Regret starts to tarnish the enjoyment of my afternoon. The happy bubbles in my belly that Akor’s grin conjured up pop and leave me feeling deflated and empty.

I turn and stare out the window at the suburban landscape as it blurs. The same house and the same house and the same house. My future as a Stepford lawyer, spending sunup to sundown in some law firm with the blinds pulled shut, coming home to my cookie cutter house and popping out babies because it’s just what you do. My future as a carbon copy of my shit parents.

I hate that fucking vision.

I turn away from the window and fight the tears that fill my eyes.

I shouldn’t have done what I did today—I know that. I’m not an idiot. But…it was different. It was impulsive. It was…actually fun.

But shame on me for thinking a demon could cheer me up and show me a good time. Akor and the guys have been nothing but trouble since they showed up.

I’m not this wild girl. I’m not this irresponsible teenager. I’m the definition of a bland, responsible nerd.

Akor and the guys are fucking with me. That’s what demons do, right? They aren’t really here to help me. I’m an idiot for thinking they could have been. They’re probably here to torture me. Drive me crazy. Ruin me.

I need to avoid them at all costs. Before they make my entire life a living hell.

10

Something’s different the very next day, when my stern-faced mom drops me off at school.

Apparently, one of their prerogatives of being better parents is taking away my car. They don’t seem to understand that without it, they’ll be forced to take me and Adam to and from school every damn day. And take us to appointments. And drive us to the grocery store when they forget to pick up supplies. And bring me to my decathlon tournaments on the weekends.

I’ll give it a few days. They’ll forget about me soon enough, and life will go back to normal.

Well, as normal as it can be with five demons stalking my every move.

The eyes fixated on me are unnerving as I move through the throng of students towards my first hour class. The hushed murmurs of the other students reach my ears, but no matter